{"id":19091,"date":"2024-04-18T16:46:41","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T20:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/?post_type=article&p=19091"},"modified":"2024-06-02T13:29:13","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T17:29:13","slug":"georgia","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/es\/article\/composting-for-community\/georgia","title":{"rendered":"Georgia \u2013 Composting Permit Exemptions and Permit-By-Rule"},"template":"","class_list":["post-19091","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_type-state-policy","initiatives-composting-for-community","topics-community-composting","topics-permitting","authors-julia-spector"],"acf":{"details":{"featured_image":"","background_color":"tan","article_type":[36],"initiative":15,"display_event_fields":false,"start_date":null,"end_date":null,"start_time":null,"end_time":null,"time_zone":"America\/New_York","virtual_event":false,"location":"","topics":[101,42],"impact_areas":false,"abstract":"In 2018, Georgia revised its composting regulations to introduce a permit-by-rule category specifically designed for community-scale operations that accept food scraps from external sources. All composting facilities are either (1) explicitly exempt from these regulations; (2) fall under the permit-by-rule category; or (3) are required to obtain a solid waste handling permit.","authors_tax":[624]},"sidebar":{"title":"\u00cdndice"},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"In 2018, Georgia revised its composting regulations to introduce a permit-by-rule category specifically designed for community-scale operations that accept food scraps from external sources.\r\n\r\nComposting, mulching, and anaerobic digestion facilities are regulated under Rule 391-3-4-.16<\/b><\/a> of the Georgia Rules for Solid Waste Management and enforced by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). All composting facilities are either (1) explicitly exempt from these regulations; (2) fall under the permit-by-rule category; or (3) are required to obtain a solid waste handling permit.\r\n\r\nWhether a specific compost operation qualifies for an exemption or a permit-by-rule will depend on factors such as the location<\/b> of the composting site; the type of feedstocks<\/b> accepted; or the volume<\/b> of food residuals, or food scraps, being received.\r\n\r\n \r\n

Feedstock Categories<\/b><\/h2>\r\nFeedstock categories relevant to community-scale composters:\r\n\r\nFeedstock Category A: Yard trimmings, land-clearing debris, agricultural residuals generated and processed on site, untreated and unpainted wood, or any combination thereof.\r\n\r\nFeedstock Category B: Agricultural residuals generated off site, herbivorous animal manure generated at a zoo,* and\/or source-separated organics, including food scraps.\r\n\r\n*herbivorous animal manure generated at a zoo is not allowed for permit-by-rule category facilities.\u00a0<\/i>\r\n\r\n \r\n

Exemptions<\/b><\/h2>\r\nThe following mulching and composting operations are exempt from the permit-by-rule and the requirement for a solid waste handling permit:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Backyard composting\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Defined as \u201ccomposting of yard trimmings and food residuals, managed so as not to attract vectors, at residential, commercial, or industrial property by the owner or tenant for use on site. All feedstocks must be generated and composted on site\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. A facility composting or mulching only<\/b> Category A feedstock<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. A facility processing less than<\/b> 40 tons per year<\/b> of food residuals generated on site and composted in leak-proof containers that prohibit vector attraction and prevent nuisance odor generation<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. Composting of food residuals and yard trimmings generated on site at a K-12 institution for educational purposes<\/li>\r\n \t
    5. Manures managed in accordance with the Georgia Rules for Water Quality Control<\/li>\r\n \t
    6. Composting of dead animals in accordance with the Georgia Dead Animal Disposal Act and Georgia Department of Agriculture Rules<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n \r\n

      Permit-by-Rule<\/b><\/h2>\r\nSites qualifying for the permit-by-rule category are considered \u2018Class 2\u2019<\/b> composting facilities. To be eligible to operate under a permit-by-rule, these facilities or operations must:\r\n